Man City show class by thumping Brighton
Man City draw level with Chelsea at the top of the WSL
Manchester City drew level on points with Chelsea at the top of the Women’s Super League table after a commanding 4-1 win over Brighton, scoring twice in each half via four different scorers.
Lauren Hemp opened City’s account by rounding off a sweeping move involving Jess Park, squirming the ball beneath Sophie Baggaley from a tight angle.
The England winger then turned provider when putting the ball on a plate for Mary Fowler, after sharing an intricate one-two with Laura Coombs, as Gareth Taylor’s side eased into a 2-0 lead before the break.
More City dominance followed the interval, and an unusually quiet Bunny Shaw got her name on the scoresheet when connecting with Yui Hasegawa’s deep cross and powering a header inside the post.
Khadija Shaw took her personal tally for 16 league goals for the season
The scoring was completed in style by Coombs, who swept home Fowler’s fizzed cross with a composed first-time finish, before former City forward Geum-Min Lee clawed back a late consolation for Brighton.
It marked a 10th successive league win for City as they bounced back from exits in the League Cup and FA Cup in their last two outings.
City are now on 40 points – level with Chelsea, who cruised past Arsenal on Friday night, with the Blues maintaining a marginally-better goal difference.
Liverpool maintain top-four charge
Missy Bo Kearns celebrates after scoring Liverpool’s second goal against West Ham
Liverpool maintained their bid to sneak into the WSL top four with a 3-1 victory over struggling West Ham at Prenton Park.
Putting the frustration of an FA Cup quarter-final defeat by Leicester last weekend behind them, former Hammer Leanne Kiernan prodded Liverpool ahead in the 41st minute, turning home Jasmine Matthews’ cross.
Missy Bo Kearns then doubled the Reds’ lead with a header five minutes into the second half, following good wide play from Ceri Holland.
Sophie Roman Haug added a finish with 17 minutes of normal time to go, with Riko Ueki’s late reply a mere consolation for West Ham, who remain six points better off than Bristol City in 11th.
Liverpool stay fifth, level on points with Manchester United in fourth, with six games remaining.
Man United ease past bottom club Bristol
Lisa Nallsund is congratulated after scoring against Bristol City
Lisa Naalsund scored early in the first half and late in the second as Manchester United won 2-0 against bottom side Bristol City, who had winger Jamie-Lee Napier sent off.
United boss Marc Skinner had taken time away this week awaiting the birth of his second child, but was on the touchline to see his side secure their first league win since early February.
Lucia Garcia laid the ball off to Naalsund for the hosts’ opener in the ninth minute, and she drove towards the edge of the box before drilling an accurate effort beyond Shae Yanez.
The Norwegian’s second came nearly 90 minutes later, in the fifth minute of second-half stoppage time, but not before Napier was shown a second yellow for a crunching challenge on Geyse.
Naalsund then finally put the game to bed when hooking the ball home from Katie Zelem’s set-piece delivery.
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